Putting is known as the most difficult and frustrating part of a golf game. If the ball is not hit at right angle and with the proper strength, it may make the situation more badly. In spite of many golf putters designed to give a pendulum motion for hitting the ball, none of them indicates exact horizontal level for just impact at the moment of impact.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a golf putter designed especially for improving the accuracy of a putting game for an amateur or weekend golfer.
2. Description of Prior Art
Putters utilizing a pendulum motion are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,321,773 to Ruemelin, U.S. Pat. No. 2,445,718 to Sternberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,170,690 to Goranson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,317 to Veniza, U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,117 to Dar, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,591 to Schuster.
Among them, the closest art to the current invention is U.S. Pat. No. ""4,252,317 to Veniza. His putter comprises four parts, namely a putter head 1, a lower shaft 3, an upper shaft 5, and a handle 7. The handle 7 endows pendulum mobility to the putter. The upper shaft 5 can be rotated 180 degrees in relation to the lower shaft 3, allowing for both left-handed and right-handed putting. This rotatable connection between the upper shaft 5 and lower shaft 3 may cause a slight rotation of the putter head 1 at the moment of impact if location of impact is not at the exact center of the putter head. Such a rotation would drive the golf ball from its originally intended direction and worsen a player""s score.
Moreover, all of the prior art are only concerned with the pendulum motion on the invention. However, for most amateur golfers it is very difficult to hold the putter in an exact, upright position. FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of putting position using a putter of prior art. There is an angle (1xe2x80x941) between the shaft (1-2) and a vertical line (1-3) to the ground surface (1-4). FIG. 2 is an overview of the trajectory (1-5) of the putter head of prior art in pendulum motion. If a golfer releases or pushes the putter to hit the golf ball (1-6) in a declined position, the natural motion of the putter head to return its position energy to a lowest level will cause a momentum (1-7) horizontally vertical to the direction of the ideal pendulum trajectory (1-8). It is clear that the latitudally oscillating putter head will create an unexpected spin on the golf ball at the moment of an impact, resulting in unpredictable motion.
None of the prior art discloses a function to increase the accuracy of putting impact as described in this invention.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a golf putter having increased accuracy of impact. The putter is comprised of; 1) a head in the shape of cylinder attached to a shaft, whereby the longitudinal axis of the head lying on a pendulum trajectory of the head; 2) a water level gauge visibly embedded in the upper surface of the putter head; 3) a shaft; 4) and a handle in the shape of a right angle pivotally attached to the upper end of the shaft. The putter of the present invention aids to create a non-side oscillating pendulum motion. The level gauge on the putter head helps a golfer adjust to an upright shaft position. The pendulum motion combined with the upright shaft position angle results in optimal impact to a golf ball. The putter of the present invention may be used either by a left-handed or a right-handed player without adjusting the putter head.